The City of Kohaku
by Coconut123
Summary: Two boys, one girl, two adventures, one heart. Chihiro meets Seiran, a cute popular guy at school who seems to taken a..."liking" to her. Sudently, an old friend revisits with different feelings about their first encounter.Haku x Chihiro x OC NOW RATED T
1. A friend? Sure, why not?

Chihiro's going to college, but refuses to live in an apartment that was built where the Kohaku river was. But with the new apartment, and new friends, Chihiro settles down and starts her adventure in college. And a special surprise~ but you'll have to read to find out

**Here's a story about Chihiro. Let's see how her first days in Kohaku City go~ enjoy**

**Oh yeah: I have the movie, but I'm too lazy to look up the spellings of peoples names… but I spelt them how they sound (in English) so you'll know who they are (hopefully)**

* * *

Chapter 1- A friend? Sure, why not?

She sighed, and rolled over on her bed. Chihiro didn't want to be here. Anywhere but here. She was glad that she got into Kohaku College, but she didn't want to live in one of the apartments that destroyed her best friends home. She hugged her stuffed pig close to her chest, and stared out the small window.

Soft music filled the room, and she stared at her phone. After a while of Beethoven, she crawled across her bed and picked up her pink phone and flipped it open.

"Hello? Chihiro here."

"Honey! Hey how are you doing? Did you get all of your stuff in ok?"

She looked out at her car, with everything still unpacked and unmoved. "Yep, everything's up." She really didn't feel like lugging a bunch of junk up to the fourth floor.

"That's great, how do you like your new room? Is it nice and comfy? I'll have to come see you soon. But Kohaku City is so far from here…"

And so they talked about how Chihiro was doing in her "new home." They talked about unmet neighbors, and the unexplored College. They talked for an hour when her mom asked,

"So have you met any cute boys yet? … Chihiro?"

Chihiro stared straight ahead, with the same monotone voice she always used whenever her mom asked. "Not yet. Sorry, but I have to go now. Mmhmm… yep… okay, love you too… okay… bye." She snapped her phone shut.

_Well, jeez. Mom expects me to move that fast? I haven't even unpacked and she's wondering if I've met any boys yet._

* * *

"Gonna go greet the newbie~

Wonder how she'll be~

We'll be best friends~

umm… a doo doo dee~"

Akari loved singing. And like she just sung, she was going to drop off her super awesome cookies for Chihiro, who just moved in to the apartment next to hers. She grabbed the bag and tied a ribbon to it, all the while singing her little song. She skipped out the door and knocked on the door next to hers.

The door opened to a cute brunette hugging a little stuffed piggy.

"A very good afternoon to you~ My name is Akari, and I brought you a little welcoming present~" Akari held out her homemade cookies. "They're chocolate chip, hope your not allergic or anything."

Chihiro took them slowly. "Thank you… that is nice of you. Oh, I'm Chihiro by the way." She shifted the cookies to one arm with her stuffed pig and held out her hand. Akari laughed and twisted Chihiro's hand up and smacked it in an Akari-style hi five.

"There's no need for formal stuff till you get old ~" Akari peered behind Chihiro into her empty dark room. "Do… you need help lugging stuff up here?" she asked.

"Uh… no, you've done enough, thank you." Chihiro said stroking her little piggy.

"What's his name?" Akari asked pointing to it.

"I call him Spirit." Chihiro said with a small smile. She pointed to her room, "Do you want to come in?"

"How about we go to my room and then I'll help bring up your stuff." Chihiro hesitated, but Akari dragged her to her own room and plopped her down on Akari's couch. They talked for hours and kept talking while they were carrying Chihiro's things up, and they still talked as she unpacked.

"Thanks for helping me unpack Akari." Chihiro said for the millionth time.

"Yep, no problem. That's what friends are for right?" Akari said as she was looking through a box. "You like dragons?" she asked holding up a white dragon with a blue mane. She also found a couple posters of "river spirits" and some drawings of an old man with a buncha arms labeled "Kamaji" and there were puff balls surrounding him.

Chihiro smiled and nodded, though the look in her eyes told me that they were special to her and Akari should put them back in the box. But, Akari was nosey, so she put them on the floor and pulled out several sketches of pigs. She draped the sketches on top of everything and pulled out a sparkly pink hair tie framed in a golden picture frame. Akari dug far enough, because Chihiro snatched the frame out of her hands.

"Sorry… but this is the most valuable possession I have." She said hugging it to her chest.

"Oh… sorry for being nosey~ I have to go now anyways, tootles~" Akari skipped to the door and called back to her, "I'll see you tomorrow~ have a good night~"


	2. The first dream and a boy?

Chapter 2- The first dream and a boy?

_She was surrounded in darkness. She was screaming and crying, although she couldn't understand why. She was blinded, seeing only darkness._

"Chihiro."

_She opened her eyes, only to find emptiness, a bottomless pit with no beginning or end. It was pitch black, dark, cold._

"You have to go! Leave before it's too late!" _She focused on the voice. It sounded familiar. _

_She crawled forward, feeling nothing. She stood up shakily, not knowing what direction she was facing._

"So dark. Where do I go? I need help."

"_Mom? Dad? Akari? Anyone? Please I need help!" She sobbed. "Haku?" As soon as she said his name, a thousand little white eyes lit up. The eyes were empty, but they were all staring at her. She shook. She remembered those eyes. All those years ago, when she had saved Haku. The "spirit graveyard" under Yubaba's room was filled with these shifting, ghostly shapes. _

_Through the shifting bodies of the spirits, she saw a faint light, glowing enough to shred light on something laying on the ground._

_The thing shifted, and she jumped back. It moved closer. Two steely eyes peered back at her. They smiled a sad smile. Chihiro recognized those eyes so well. The eyes she longed to see. The eyes of her first friend in this town. The eyes of…_

"_Haku."_

* * *

"Chihiro!" A voice commanded. She bolted up in her chair and hit her knees against the bottom of the desk.

"Owww…" Chihiro rubbed her knees and grit her teeth. When she realized that the whole class was staring at her, her gaze shot up to meet her teacher's, Miss Sotoko.

"Well Chihiro?" she asked, giving Chihiro a steely glare. She sat, digging small crescents in her palms. She looked around and at the chalk board to see what she had missed. Miss Sotoko sighed and told me that Chihiro would come to her classroom after school.

"_Anyways_, Seiran, how about you?" She pointed the piece of chalk at some kid in the first row. Chihiro tried to pay attention to the lesson, but soon her mind drifted off to the strange dream she had last night. As she replayed it for the fifth time, the bell rang, and she darted off to the cafeteria.

"Getting detention on your first day to college sucks, and especially with Miss Sokoto." Chihiro twirled around, to see Seiran standing behind her. Seiran had choppy brown hair down to his shoulder blades, with highlights. He was one of the "hot popular guys" of the school.

He walked past her and paused, looking back at her. Chihiro guessed he was waiting for her to follow him.

_Hmph. Well, I'm not going to be some little ducking following after this guy _she huffed. Chihiro marched past him toward the cafeteria. He chuckled and she glared back at him.

"So welcome to Kohaku College! This is a pretty hard college to get to, so you must be as smart as you are pretty." He flashed a smile that wasn't glued on straight.

"Yep. Oh I mean no… ah okay. Yeah that's fine. Sure…" She mumbled half-heartedly. Actually, she had a terrible time in school, and the only thing she excelled in was art. Chihiro had gotten in through her math and science skills too. But she spoke gibberish in all other languages and she flunk at history. Her P.E. wasn't so bad, although she didn't like it much. And with her first day at college and spacing out all the time, her grades were already wilting.

Seiran and Chihiro talked (or more like he rambled and she listened) until we reached the cafeteria, where he blew her a kiss and sauntered over to one of his "girl tables."

Chiriro looked around, until she spotted Akari.

"Ohmigod. You are so lucky Chihiro!" Akari turned to her when she sat down.

"What do you mean?"

"What? You know what I mean!"

Chihiro stared at her for a while. She watched as Akari's smile went through the steps of turning into a frown.

"Jeez, wakey wakey, the sun has been up for a while Chihiro! I _mean _that you got to walk all the way to the cafeteria with Seiran, and he even blew you a kiss! Freshmen are never that lucky!" She was bouncing in her seat with a glow of girly something that Chiriro had yet to discover. Chihiro stared as that too, went through the steps of shutting down.

"Oh." Was all Chihiro said. Akari stared at her for a while. Then a sinister grin slowly spread across her face. "What…?" Chihiro asked slowly, as Akari's bouncing energy returned.

"The only way that you wouldn't be moved by Seiran giving you attention, is if you had another boy on your mind!" Chihiro jolted. For some odd reason, she could feel her face heat up. "Ha ha, I knew it! Chi's got a boyfriend!"

Chihiro sighed. "Chi?"

"All of my bud's hafta have nicknames!" Akari practically shouted. "But don't try to get off subject~ so do you have a special someone?"

Chi sighed and stabbed her straw into her juice box. What was she waiting for? Akari was right, she really didn't have anyone.

**

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**

Well, Didja like it? Please review!


	3. Interesting News

Chapter 3- Interesting news

Flip, flop, flip, flop

Chihiro's shoes made a cheerfull beat as she flip-flopped through the doorway of the school library. She waved to the librarian and walked over.

"Why hello Chihiro, does this mean that you are here to take a look at some books?" The librarian peered over her little Harry Potter-style glasses expectedly.

"Actually, my computer doesn't get-" The librarian made a motion for me to whisper. "Sorry. So anyways my computer is really slow and stuff so," Chi pointed over to the computers.

The librarian nodded and waved her off. After plunking down and receiving a dirty look over the computer, Chihiro clicked her most favorite icon. The little blue "e."

"Chi! You're finally home!" Akari was plopped down on Chihiro's beanie bag. Chihiro dropped her bag off her shoulders.

"Just let yourself in." Chihiro plopped on her other beanie bag. "How long have you been here?" Akari sat up straight with a smug look on her face. Chihiro made a mental note to lock her door.

"I, Akari, have been on a mission to deliver the latest gossip." She leaned forward like she was going to tell a secret. "There's going to be a new transfer! Just like you! But a guy, and really cool and stuff~ I got to see him with my very own two eyes!" She rolled back and pointed at one of my many paintings. "And the funny thing is, he looks a lot like that boy. With the same dark short but long and scarily straight hair, and green eyes."

"Seven times eight is sixty four right?" Chihiro had unpacked her math homework and hadn't been listening to a word Akari had said. After a couple minutes of silence, Chihiro erased her page and started over.

"Chi!" Akari complained in a whiny and mad voice. "Chihiro, have you been listening at all?" Chihiro nodded without looking up.

Akari swept off the beanie and flounced out of the room. After about five seconds had passed, she stuck her head back in "Fifty six."

_Chihiro crept toward Haku's limp body. The close she got, the more pact the shadows were. When she finally pushed her hand through the shadowy barrier, the shadows dissolved and the darkness was swallowed by a strange moving light. Like the type of light that you see when you look up from the bottom of a swimming pool. The light danced on her hands, and Chihiro hiccupped a small laugh. She twirled around, her hair floating in the watery air. When she faced towards Haku's body again, he had disappeared._

_No. No, no, no, this can't happen! Chihiro dropped to the solid air that made up the floor. Haku's body was slowly sinking, a strange barrier keeping Chihiro unable to follow. She grasped at the spot where Haku was. And suddenly her lungs no longer filled with air. She was drowning in water that she couldn't see or feel. Her tears floated around her with no direction. _

_Where was my dragon now? My best friend? Haku…_


	4. More news?

Chapter 4- More News?

"Hey, have you heard…"

"Did you know…"

"Only one more week…"

The whole school was buzzing with the information of the transferring student. A boy, with slick black hair, evergreen eyes, and "the smoothest skin a boy could ever have."

Chihiro twisted her locker combination when somebody hit the locker beside her, making her jump. "Hey, Chi, you a little jumpy today?" Seiran donned a lopsided grin and leaned on the lockers.

"No, you just startled me." Chihiro turned back to her combo. 12... 36...

Seiran cleared his throat and shifted pose. She ignored him. "Hey Chi, you looking forward to meeting the new guy? I heard from the ladies-"

Chihiro snorted. _The ladies. How stupid. _He continued. "I heard that he is pretty popular, with a face." He shifted weight and pushed off the lockers.

She slowly twisted the dial. "Well, don't most boys have faces? Or do you just pay attention to your 'ladies' too much to notice?" She paused her twisting and stared up at him.

He stepped back a little, then stood closer than he was before. "I mean he has a pretty face. Or, he is rumored to have a pretty face… anyways, all of the girls are talking about him. Do you like him? I don't think I really like him."

She sighed, "I have no opinion about him. I haven't met or seen him. And since it is doubtful," she swung her locker open, facing her purple binders and blocking out the looming Seiran. "Since it is highly doubtful that you have actually met this… boy, I don't see what you would base your opinion on." She grabbed her biology textbook, and half-ran past Seiran.

* * *

"Hey Chihiro!" Akari shouted in her ear.

"I'm right next to you…" Chi mumbled past her spaghetti.

"Yeah but the cafeteria is booming loud. Anyways," Akari dug lines into her milk carton with her nail. "Guess what I just found out? There's only one week until the new kid comes! And guess what? He is in my science class!" She glanced at Chihiro and added, "And he is in almost every class you're in." She picked at her salad. Chihiro stabbed a meatball.

"Hey Chi?" Akari studied the crescents she had made in the carton. "Since a girl only needs one boy… and since this new guy, well, you haven't even seen him… and besides you already have someone, can I call dibs on the new guy?"

Chihiro coughed. A really disgusting cough, with bits of meatball flying back onto her tray. "Uh, Akari. Akari. You know how many people called dibs on this new guy?" She looked at Chihiro with shiney doe eyes.

"How many? Did you already call dibs? Oh, then I'm too late, why didn't you tell me?"

Chihiro coughed, _again_. "No I didn't. Calling dibs in stupid." She had to shout over the din. "And- wait. You said that I already had someone. Who would that be?" Chihiro narrowed her eyes.

"Seiran of course." With that, Akari threw her napkins and her abused milk carton on her tray and left.


	5. Kiss?

Chapter 5- Kiss?

The week flew, and now it was already Friday. Chihiro had fitful dreams every night, and now they were getting worse. Drowning, darkness. Seiran had stopped flirting so… desperately. Now he was bearable, almost pleasant. Other than her dreams, this week was darn near perfec-

* * *

"I want to congratulate everyone and thank them for working so hard on the test! Everybody passed with only one fail, but I would like to talk with that certain student." Miss Sotoko passed out the Spanish tests. Since the desks are assigned alphabetically, Miss S. usually has the corrected tests in that order. Chihiro questioned Miss S. with her eyes when she skipped her and handed a test to a boy sitting behind me, but she was ignored.

Soon, everyone had a test and Miss S. returned to the head of the classroom. Everyone that is, everybody except for Chihiro.

"If you are a student that doesn't have a test," She swept her eyes across the classroom, making sure not to stare at Chihiro like the whole class was. "Then I will ask that you talk with me at the end of the class."

Now she pierced her eyes at Chihiro, making her squirm. "If I could have a volunteer to help _Chihiro _with her assignments I will give her after school, I am sure that she would appreciate it."

Chihiro paled. Gosh darn, was that really necessary? She was vaguely aware of a hand that raised in the front row on the other side of the room.

Miss Sotoko nodded at the hand. "Thank you Seiran, I'm sure your assistance," she raised her eyebrows at Chihiro. She had jumped in her chair when she called his name. "will be apreciated." With a swish of her navy blue skirt, class continued.

* * *

Chihiro dug her fingernails into her palms. Why, why, _why _did Seiran have to volunteer? He'll probably start flirting any time now.

Her pencil was stopped from drawing a dragon by five well painted fingers. "Chihiro, can you please try to focus? Look. The infinitive of tengo is?"

She glumly lifted her eyes. "Salsa?" She swore Seiran's eye twitch.

"Not tango, _tengo_. The Spanish word. An infinitive is the form of a verb that isn't conjugated.

She looked up at him with surprise. "You're actually serious about this aren't you?"

He nodded. "Well, if he is giving some effort, I should too…" she mumbled. "Umm… Isn't tener the um… in-fin-a-tive of tengo?"

Seiran broke into a smile that hung crooked. "Yes! Yes, you got it! You remember, well that's a relief." He smiled again. "Yes that's right. Now that you know that, fill out this chart."

Chihiro sighed. Miss Sotoko is so mean…

As Seiran stacked her work in a neat pile, she shoved her cursed language binder (the only one that wasn't purple. It was an ugly brown color) back into the dark depths of her backpack.

She coughed (well okay, it was a failed 'ahem') and half turned to Seiran. "Thanks for helping. It was nice." He looked up in surprise.

"No problem. Nice?" And his ego was back. "Nice spending time alone with me?" He shifted himself so that he was almost touching my side.

"No you idiot. Nice of you to help me with my language homework. But…" She blushed and twirled around. Her back to Seiran.

She could almost hear his silly little boy grin take control of his oh-so-perfect-face. "But? But what? It was secretly enjoyable and you want to do this again sometime?" He put the stack of papers down and made walked around her chair to face her.

She looked to the ground, and wouldn't react at all when he bent down to try to meet their eyes. We stayed like that for a while, until she sighed. Seiran straightened and gave a small smile.

"I… was going to say that it was… fun to study with you." _Wait. Study and fun in the same sentence? _"Er, I mean… well you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I know. Well, since it was so… fun, why don't we do it again some time? Monday at… your place?"

She stared. At the floor, the clock, anywhere but Seiran. "Sure."

"Five o'clock?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Why so late?"

He rolled his eyes. "Okay, then three forty five. Right after clubs end."

She hastily stood up and bumped into Seiran's chest. Instead of backing up and giving her space, he leaned closer. And closer. And closer- _wait, what!_

He was about three inches away from her lips now. She narrowed her eyes again. "You wouldn't dare mister." He slowly straightened and dropped his arm from my back. _Wait what? When did that get there? Gah, he was really going to kiss me wasn't he? _

A slow, lopsided grin appeared on his face. "So I guess I'm not that lucky yet, huh?"

"Don't you 'huh' me. You idiot!" Chihiro pushed past Seiran, swung her heavy backpack over one shoulder, and flounced out of the room.

A voice followed her down the hall. "See you on Monday. I'll be waiting for you."


	6. The one we've all been waiting for

Chapter 6- The one we've all been waiting for

The weekend blurred past, and it seemed like Chihiro never left school, standing with her backpack in her clean white school uniform. She found Akari amongst the sea of bobbing heads. It wasn't hard to miss her tell tale strand of hair that bounced on her head.

"Hey, Akari! How was your weekend?" They pulled to the side of the herd of trampling students and walked slowly up the steps of the school main building.

"Oh pretty good, I told you that I went to the-" Akari had stopped in the doorway and Chihiro bumped into her back.

"Ow Akari… what's wron-"

"Ohmigod. Chi! There he is!" She twirled around, her hair twirling in a graceful arc. "How's my hair? Is my skirt crooked?" Chihiro rolled her eyes.

"Your hair looks fab now can you let me through?" She pushed past her into the dark bustling hallway. Leaning a wall in the corner was… Wait, who was that?

"Hey!" She walked over to the leaning person. "Oh, it's you Seiran, what are you doing brooding in a corner like this?" He gave a tight smile and nodded over to where a mob of girls were standing. She nodded. Oh, the new guy.

"Well, I'm off, see you." Chihiro squeezed past the mob and headed to English class.

"Chi! Hey, Chi!" Akari ran up to me. "Hey Chi, have you seen this new boy? He is so super cute!" Chihiro shook her head. "Whaaat? Well," She ducked under her bangs. "He seems to know you. He keeps asking if anyone knows a girl named Chihiro. Not a very popular name in this school, so…"

Chihiro stopped. "Um, Akari, what is the name of this boy?" She held her breath.

"Oh you don't know? It's Haiku or something like that." Chihiro frowned. Haiku?

Chihiro tapped her chin. Then had what my mom called a "light bulb moment" and hit her head with her palm. "How on earth could I have missed it for so long? Black hair, emerald eyes, and…" she snickered, "Haiku." Akari looked at Chihiro like she was crazy.

"Akari, do you suppose that this… Haiku… might actually be Haku?" Then Akari lit up with a light bulb moment.

"Ah that's it! Haku, I didn't think that sounded right."

So that was it. Chihiro's old friend had come to the human world. And even transferred to her college too!

"Sorry Akari, I gotta go, meet you in the cafeteria!" Chihiro waved and started trotting down the hall.

"Wait so your skipping?"

* * *

Chihiro swerved between halls, scanning them for a flash of raven wing black. About five minutes passed and she found herself standing in front of the classroom, being ushered in by

Mr. B. Well, so much for the ditching plan. She scooted her way to an empty biology table and quickly flopped her books out. The door swung open and, oh my gosh.

"Haku!" She whispered. No one else could hear her, but Haku had heard his name and smiled broadly. He started to walk over to her table, but a big black backpack plopped next to me.

Chihiro jumped and looked up to find a frowning Seiran. Seiran did have a frown on, not directed towards Chihiro, but directed towards Haku. Haku paused, gave a quick smile, and went to talk to Mr. B.

"Was that necessary?" She hissed.

Seiran shrugged. "I have no clue what your talking about. I thought you had no interest in the new boy." He had a sour face on, like his weird sense of manly pride had been hurt.

"Well," She started slowly, "I didn't at first, but then I found out it was Haku and-" The bell rung. She mouthed that she would tell him later.

Mr. B stood at the front of the room with Haku. "I would like for all of you to welcome Haku. As you all know, he has transferred to our school. As all of you know, it is hard to come to a new school, and as you all know, especially in the middle of…" She drowned him out, mad at Seiran and started doodling another dragon.

Chihiro was vaguely aware that a pair of emerald eyes never left her, but the more she thought about it, she couldn't help but think that Seiran noticed more than she did.


	7. Basketball

Chapter 7- Basket ball

Chihiro dug through her wallet with a sigh. After the last hours of trying to escape Seiran and find Haku, she was pretty beat. Seiran reluctantly went to basketball practice, after she had convinced him not to skip. Chihiro took quarters out of her wallet, slipping them into the vending machine quickly. She had agreed to meet Akari in the gym before club meeting finished. Chihiro poked her straw into the juicebox thoughtfully and smiled. This really was going to be a fun year!

Chi jogged to the gym, avoiding the cracks in the floor. She tossed her empty juicebox into the trash and slamed her shoulder against the gym door. She was greeted with shouting and whooping. Chihiro slipped over to Akari, who was standing back pressed up against the wall.

"Akari, I thought the gym was empty today," Chihiro sighed and leaned against the wall next to her.

Akari stared at me and blinked. "What would the point of that be?" Chihiro raised her eyebrow, Akari pointed.

Chihiro saw Seiran's back, he was spinning a basketball on his finger. Chihiro stepped sideways and saw who he was talking to. Sudently, as if cued, everybody got off the court, except for six people.

"Oh my god," She heard Akari breath. "I can't believe that Seiran is challenging Haku to a three on three! Oooh, I don't know who to cheer for. Chi," she turned to me.

Chihiro cocked her head. "Well, since Seiran is a stupid idiot," I started. "And he is going to get his sorry butt kicked, I would cheer for… the new kid." Chihiro finished with a smile. Akari rolled her eyes.

Akari leaned over. "That's not a very good additude, isn't Seiran your-" She was cut off by a whistle and the screetches of sneakers. Chihiro watched with a smirk as Seiran stole the ball from Haku, then Haku chased him down the field, stole that ball and dunked a three pointer. "Plus, they come in handy, boyfriends I mean. So what's your oppinion?"

Chihiro nodded at her once, and pushed off the wall. She pointed to her wallet and mouthed 'juice.' Walking slowly around the edge of the court, Chihiro paused near the hoop and watched Seiran struggle to get past Haku. Haku stole the ball and headed back up the court. Seiran looked miserable.

Chihiro caught his eye and smiled. He looked even worse. She pumped her fist in the air and shouted, "Go Seiran!" She turned and continued her search for another vending machine. Soon she heard the sneakers pound back in her direction, then a jump and a swish. She turned and winked at Seiran, who sucessfully copied Haku's three point maneuver. He pumped his fist in the air and she slipped through the door.

Just like gas to and a truck, Seiran could run on ego alone.

* * *

Something bothered Haku. Chihiro's presence did not escape his observation, and he couldn't wait to meet with her after he was done with this… human. The boy had chalenged Haku to a three on three basketball game. In normal circumstances, he would have never chosen to deal with any human boy.

When Haku declined his chalenge, the boy had told him to stay away from Chihiro. What did this human think one game would change?

Haku scored three points.

She couldn't be "his," as he had called her. So Haku took the challenge, betting the 'privalige' to meet with Chihiro. Haku dribbled smoothly past Seiran. Seiran's frusteration was getting the better of him, his movements were stiff and forced.

"Go Seiran!" A familiar voice rung clear through the gym. Haku half turned looking over his shoulder. Chihiro stood with her fist pumping the air and a beautiful and slightly silly smile on her face. Haku would have smiled back, but he realized the cheer came from her. The boy appeared sudently and stole the ball. Haku watched silently as his team ran past him. The boy threw a long shot and scored.

They were tied.

Seiran jumped up and whooped loudly, a new energy discovered. Chihiro looked back over her shoulder and winked at him. At Seiran, an ordinary human boy. A flattering leave.

Something bothered Haku. That wink should have been for him.


	8. A Date with Dragon Boy

Chapter 8- A date with dragon boy

Chihiro sat by the school's koi pond. She slowly ate a ham and mustard sandwich that Akari had made her.

She scrunched her nose and stuck out her tounge. "I hate mustard…" she grumbled and threw a piece of bread into the pond.

"Likewise." A smooth voice whispered behind her. She half turned and patted the rock beside her. Haku sat with a light smile. "What, not even a hug? A bounding leap into my arms? Even a little surprise?"

Chihiro silently handed him a slice of her sandwich. "I knew you were coming, you made a promise remember?" She smiled and threw a bit of ham to the koi. "You could've come sooner, I wouldn't have minded."

Haku bent and removed the floating ham. He held it in front of Chihiro's face. "Fish are picky about what they eat. Koi especialy." He smiled and tossed the ham into a bush. "Best to let the squirrels eat it. Squirrels eat anything."

Chihiro flicked a piece of ham at him. He handed her back the sandwich. When she looked at him he said simply, "I told you I hated mustard."

* * *

Chihiro and Haku walked along main street. Haku had explained how he got here and who he was staying with.

"How did you convince a random lady to let you stay with her?" Chihiro had asked scepticaly. "I mean, you just picked a 50 year old woman and asked her if you could live with her? Did you say you were a bording student?"

Haku shook his head. "Rin told me that humans never believe what they are told unless it is reasonable. Saying that I was mearly a bording student wouldn't be proper for a high and mighty river spirit like myself."

Chihiro play-punched him.

He chuckled and linked arms with her to guide her down a different road. "No, I told her that I was a prince from a far away-" Chihiro snorted. His eyes smiled. "I'm known as Prince Ukah from Napaj.

Chihiro stared at him, her pace slowing. "A… prince?" He nodded. "Ukah?"

"Haku is quite a similar name as Ukah. Ukah is Haku backwards. As for Napaj, you will find it is a little village in the heart of Japan. Of course, Madame Shinjo believes that it is far away in a European country."

Chihiro sighed. "You must have used magic didn't you?"

"Yes…?" He asked an unspoken question.

She rolled her eyes. "No human in the right mind would believe your ridiculous story." She eyed him. "Please stop that, it's annoying."

Haku unwound Chihiro's hair he had curled around his finger.

Chihiro steered Haku and herself down a different alley. She waved to a little boy with bright bronze hair. "Hayate, hey!"

Hayate looked up. "Miss Chihiro! Hi!" He ran forward, but stopped to stare at Haku. "Who is he?"

"This is my friend Haku, Haku this is a little boy I used to babysit."

The boy stuck out his chin. "I'm not little anymore! I'm almost nine years old!"

Chihiro giggled. "This is Haku-"

"You already said that." Haku pointed out.

She glared at him. "And guess what, he can do magic! Isn't that weird?" She turned back to Hayate.

"Wooow really? Hayate jumped and grabbed Haku's arm. "Show me magic! Please?"

Chihiro hit her head with her palm.

Haku stared at her. "Chihiro, don't hit yourself!" Annoyed, Haku raised a hand and a faint orb of rainbow light shone onto Jin's hair casting rainbows on his bronze hair.

"Ow, ow, ow, it's hot!" Hayate staggered backwards.

Chihiro gasped and knocked his hand away from Hayate. "Haku!" She hissed. The ball bounced to the ground and solidified, now empty of color. Chihiro grabbed Haku's arm and swiftly dragged him away. She called over her shoulder, "Bye Hayate, I'll see you later!"

* * *

Chihiro slowly climbed up the stairs to her apartment. She had to take a rediculously long time to explain why Haku can't use magic while in the human world. She faintly noticed a clock ringing in the distance. She stood at the bottom of the last flight of stairs and groaned.

"There you are!" Akari's voice collided with my ears with extra energy. Akari leaned against the wall above the stairs wearing a dissaproving frown. Chihiro almost fell over when she noticed that a certain pair of chocolate brown eyes watched her behind Akari.

Chihiro shook her head. "Crap, I'm sorry Seiran. You didn't wait all this time did you?" He nodded silently and desended down the stairs pask Akari. He stopped and faced Chihiro.

"But," he glanced up at Akari and smiled. "I wasn't alone." Akari giggled and looked to me.

Chihiro sighed. "Well that's a relief, I hoped you weren't just standing by my door this whole time." Chihiro smiled at Akari. "Thanks for covering, I completely forgot."

Seiran's jaw clenched and Akari stared blankly at me. "So may I ask where you were?"

"With Haku, we were catching up. We knew eachother and were best buddies back when I was ten." Seiran looked furious.

He passed Chihiro and started desending the next flight of stairs. "Next time you see him," he called over his shoulder, "remind him of a little bet would you?" Chihiro looked at Akari. Akari looked at Chihiro. Chihiro shrugged and climbed the stairs past a glaring Akari, and into her room.


	9. Forever

A big thanks to readers, Sorry for the long wait. I've got a special thank-you to Shinigami for reading and support~

So… Thank You!

* * *

Chapter 9- Forever

"I can't believe you made him wait like that." Akari whined clutching her pillow.

"Mmhmm." She and Chihiro sat on Akari's double beds. Not a queen sized, but two twin beds pushed together.

"He's so sweet to wait all that time."

"Yep."

"You could have at least called him."

"Uh huh." Chihiro flipped through her magazine. "Which is better, purple or teal?"

"For what? But you are missing the point-"

"A sweater. Do you have a marker?"

Akari chucked her pillow at Chihiro's head. Chihiro leaned aside and neatly dodged. Akari narrowed her eyes at her. "I've got a pencil."

Chihiro held out her hand without looking up. "Can I have it?"

Akari sighed and slipped off her bed. She opened her backpack and plucked a pencil out. She jumped onto the bed and threw the pencil at the ceiling above Chihiro. It stuck. When Chihro looked up, Akari threw bits of ripped up eraser at her.

"Back," Akari hissed, "to my point."

Chihiro sighed and looked at her. "Which is?" Akari threw a bit of eraser at her.

"How cruely you treat Seiran."

Chihiro looked back down at her magazine. "Is that all?" She flipped back to a dog-eared page. Akari growled. Really growled.

"You do realize how much that boy adores you right?" Chihiro's head flipped up and hit the wall. The pencil fell and bounced of her head. Akari smirked. "Didn't think so. Now what if I told you that Seiran and I kissed during the time you were off frolicking with Haku?"

Chihiro opened her mouth, then closed it without saying anything. She tried again and forced words out. "Then… then you would… be happy. And I would… well, at least I would have my best friend back… but," Chihiro smiled.

Akari's eyes flashed red and she threw the rest of her eraser at Chihiro. "How can you think of Haku when I say that I kissed your boyfriend?" She slid off the bed and stomped and yanked open the door. "Get out of my room, I want to sleep." She turned glared at Chihiro. Chihiro slowly shuffled off Akari's bed and hurried past Akari and out the door.

She turned to face Akari. "Akari-"

"I knew he couldn't deserve you," she hissed and slamed the door.

* * *

Half an hour later, Chihiro stood paralized and slowly blinked at her friend's door. Her mind repeated their conversation up until the door slammed and repeated the vicious cycle. She heard faint footsteps climbing the stairs but paid no attention to them.

"Chihiro?" She turned deftly to see Haku silouetted my the silver moonlight. Her eyes drifted back to the door and back to Haku's feet.

"Chihiro, whats wrong with you?" He stepped closer and reached out to touch her shoulder. She shifted away from him. He dropped his arm and ducked to peer into her eyes. Her eyes were blank and dull but very, very sad.

He stepped closer and hesitantly wrapped his arms around her. She stiffened then relaxed as he rubbed soothing circled down her arms and back. He leaned back to peer into her eyes again, then were drifting closed. He slowly leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

Her eyes flew open, fully cured of any signs of dullness. "Ha…ku?" She froze in his arms with shock. Her eyes slowly filled with tears.

Haku raised a hand to wipe her tears away, but his hand got smacked away with surprising forse.

"You IDIOT! What do you think you are doing here? You…" Chihiro blinked tears from her eyes, but most escaped down her cheeks. "You caused everything! I… I hate you Haku!" She pounded on his chest and cried harder.

He wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrase. He pulled her slowly to the ground until she gave up fighting and cried into his shoulder.

"I hate you. I hate you Haku, just go away." She mumbled over and over into his shirt.

He stroked her hair. "Do you really want me to go? As far away as I am possible?" Her breath caught in her throat.

"Yes," she whispered in a shaky voice. "Yes," she repeated with a stronger voice. "Just… just go. As far away as you can."

"Forever?" His voice was strained and his hand stilled on her head.

"No." She pulled away. "Just until I'm dead. Than you are free to go wherever you want."

For once, Haku was shocked. "You…" Haku stammered, "loved me… back when you visited the spirit world. You offered your heart to me, to save me from my fated death." She shook her head.

"Of course I loved you you stupid dragon, you were like a big brother to me. I loved you with all my heart. But now…" she looked up and met his eyes. "Now it would be best if you never came to visit me." She stood and stumbled to her door. She looked back over her shoulder, but her dragon was gone.

* * *

Perched in a tree, a certain river spirit shed his first tears.


	10. Today Forever Pocky

I'm so so so so sorry for the huge gap in time… er, the gap that included me not writing eh heh heh heh… I've been incredibly lazy about writing, because I just bought a wii J I'll get back to writing though, I've just gotta!

so without further ado:

* * *

Chapter 10- Today. Forever. Pocky.

Chihiro sat perched on the edge of her chair, knawing on her juicebox straw. The constant babble of the caffeteria sent her into a meditive state that was inturrupted by a lunch tray slamming down next to her.

"Damn," Akari grumbled, plopping down next to Chihiro. "Hey Chi, have you heard the news yet?" She stared at her friend who was still grinding away at her juicebox straw. Akari plucked the straw out of Chihiro's mouth, "Be nice to the poor straw, it never hurt you," she teased.

Chihiro's head snapped up and stared at her. "Akari… I thought you were-"

"Mad as hell? I was," Akari snapped her own juicebox straw off her box. "And I still should be, after you made me waste five good minutes of lunch block looking for you." She took a gulp of her juice. "Yuck. stay away from strawberry mango kiwi, it'll kill you. You know, you didn't have to sit on the opposite side of the caffeteria from where we normally sit." Chihiro had chosen a table in the far corner, one that was pressed up against a wall so that only two people could sit there.

Chihiro looked down at her lunch of a ham and mustard sandwich, then up at the clock, then back down again. They glanced at eachother, and broke down into a fit of giggles. Akari leaned sideways and knocked into Chihiro.

"Just so you know, I didn't kiss him." She whispered into her ear.

Chihiro almost asked who, but remembered with a bang. She sighed and leaned against Akari. "I didn't think you did…"

"So anyways," Akari abruptly sat up straight which caused Chihiro to almost fall on the floor in the gap between their chairs. "What I was saying before was that there is incredibly depressing news. Haku, the coolest hottie in the whole school, is transfering!"

The news hit her ears with more force than being slapped.

Akari sighed while digging around in her backpack. She pulled out a stick of pocky and held it out for Chihiro. "It totally stinks, because… well because it does." She poked the imobillized Chihiro with the pocky then ate it herself.

"When?"

"hmm?" mumbled Akari through her mouthfull of candy.

"When is Haku leaving?"

Akari swallowed, "Today I think. I don't know where he's going though… probably to a fancy private school somewhere."

Chihiro remembered what had happened the night before. She had told Haku that she hated him. Now he's gone… Today, forever: these words echoed through Chihiro's head.

Today

Forever.

* * *

Sorry for the insanely short chappie. Our computer's got a weird thing goin on, and the spell check think won't work, it doesn't do the red squiggly thing either… So sorry if things are misspelled, I'm not the best when it comes to that~

Pocky, my lovely friends, is a candy that is yummy. It is a breadstick that is dipped in chocolate. (It is better than I'm making it sound heehee) it is about six inches long and… the width of a skinnyish worm. (Ew now it sounds grosser…) J You can buy it at an asian food market store thingie. at borders too, sometimes.

thanks for reading, please review!


	11. All koi love ham

I'm gonna go for two chapters in one night… good luck me! (edit: fail.)

* * *

Chapter 11-All koi love ham

"Okay so here's the deal," whispered Akari. "You go the the Koi pond tomorrow during the lunch period, and don't bring you lunch." She leaned against him and whispered fervently. "And you will wait there all lunch block. I don't care how hungry you are, I don't even care if you're mother dies right then and there, you _will be _at the Koi pond."

* * *

"Knock, knock" Akari opened the door to Chihiro's room. "You really should lock you're doors you know."

"I know." Chihiro nodded. "And what do I owe the honor?" Akari grinned.

"I," she skipped in, holding a box behind her back, "have brought my lonely knitting friend a present!" She held out the lunchbox in front of Chihiro's face. Chihiro set her knitting aside and took the box.

"Oh thank you. What's in it?" Chihiro sniffed the box curiously.

"That is," Akari plopped down on the bed, "Tomorrow's lunch~"

Chihiro eyed the box sceptically. "But there's so much…"

Akari pointed at the box, then to Chihiro. "I thought it would be neat if we ate together at the Koi pond tomorrow, I made a special lunch for the both of us so that we'd have the same lunch~"

"Which is…"

"A secret."

* * *

Seiran sat in a low tree limb at the Koi pond. He listened as a cheerful tune bounced to him. He slid from his seat and sat against the tree's trunk.

"Oh, hi Seiran, I didn't know you'd be here." Chihiro waved and hurried her pace. she circled the koi pond and sat next to him. "Did Akari send you out here too?"

Seiran bent his head so his sandy hair half covered his face. "Um, uh, er I mean, no. Nope, I just came to see the koi eh hah hah hah…"

Chihiro bent her head to look at his face. "I don't believe you."

He looked up and to the side nervously. "Well…"

"But that's okay, because she'll be here soon!" Chihiro started humming her song again. Once Seiran thought he had the tune, he hummed along with her.

"You messed up!" Chihiro giggled and play-slapped his arm. He laughed until they were both cut off by her stomach growling. He laughed and Chihiro blushed, and then Seiran's stomach growled and she giggled. By the time they had both gurgled, both of them were blushing and laughing.

"I'm starved, what about you?" She lifted her huge box of lunch. "Did you already have lunch?"

He scratched his nose. "No, I forgot mine today, silly me."

Chihiro smiled. "Well you're in luck! Akari packed a mystery lunch for me, but it's way too big for me to eat by myself." She unwrapped the box. "And for punishment for being late, we'll eat before she comes. She is awfully late you know I wonder if something ha…pened."

She opened the lid as she was talking to reveal a stack of ham and mustard sandwiches, rice that was dyed in the shape of a heart, and two fortune cookies. Packed on top was one single pair of chopsticks.

"A-ka-ri…" Chihiro stared at the sight in front of her. A lunchbox for two, chopsticks for one, mustard mustard mustard.

"Well this looks interesting." Seiran rested his chin on her shoulder. "So does this mean we have to share?" He reached over and plucked a piece of paper that was wedged between the sandwiches.

He read, "_Dear Chi, go ahead and eat without me, I forgot to… do something but that's not important. And remember, sharing is good _3_. Love Akari_." He refolded the paper into a hat and placed it on Chihiro's head.

"You've got to be kidding." her mouth was all but twitching. "I've had this box since last night," she added in her head.

Seiran took the chopsticks and handed her one. "Because sharing is good." He stabbed at the rice repetitively until he got half a grain to stick. "There we go."

Chihiro giggled. She offered him her chopstick which he plucked out of her hands. He shoveled a bit of the red rice and stuck it in her face.

"Ladies first," he smiled.

She blushed and ate. He ate too, and offered her more.

"I'm good." she held out her hands.

He pushed the rice closer to her mouth. "Rice makes strong muscles you know." She sighed and let him feed her.

When the rice was done, they both picked up a sandwich.

"I love mustard. That's a lie I hate it but it's okay, better than nothing." he took a big bite with a thumbs up. "Yumm."

Chihiro nibbled around the mustard. "I don't like it either, but I always have it because its on sale." She swallowed. "The mustard I mean."

"You know," he pulled off a bit of ham, "if you buy something even though it's on sale but don't use it, it's still a waste of money." He flicked the ham into the pond. "I know." she answered in her head.

_Fish are picky about what they eat. Especially Koi. Best to let the squirrels eat it. Squirrels eat anything._

She stared at the floating ham. A big koi sucked it in. "Huh… I didn't know that koi liked ham." She turned her head to Seiran.

"Of course they do, there's no such thing as a picky fish~" He smiled. "Well, I'm full, what about you?"

She looked down at the empty lunchbox in her lap. "When did you eat all of those sandwiches?"

"While you were staring at the floating ham for five minutes."

"Oh."

* * *

ah well, I was going to try to fit a kiss in this chapter but it didn't work.

The squirrels eat ham and koi don't thing comes from chapter 8, if you didn't remember. because that part wouldn't make any sense at all if you hadn't known~

Thanks a ton for reading!


	12. Destiny

Haaaaaye everyone! No, I didn't die~ Thanks to all my readers, and especially all my reviewers, cookies for you! I'll have more time to write stories now that school started (go figure, long story- long story, go figure) so anyways, I'll update more often!

* * *

Chapter 12- Destiny

"Hey Chi! Chi! Chiiiiiii!" Akari bounded through the hall dodging students. "Guess what guess what guess what?" She circled Chihiro while hyper-talking.

"Wha-"

"I got a job!" Akari dropped to a walk alongside her best friend.

Chihiro smiled, "Congrats Akari, what is it this time?"

Akari pouted. " C'mon, don't say it like that, the last two just didn't work out because the boss kept sticking me out on the street dressed like some gigantic," she spread her arms wide, "bear that would scare the bajeezers out of poor unexpecting kids."

Chihiro looked sidelong at her. "I thought you enjoyed scaring the… 'bajeezers' out of those kids."

"Anywaaays, my new super fabuloso job is at the daycare down the street!" Akari glowed, Chihiro chuckled.

"You couldn't just settle for the ones by a restaurant could you?"

* * *

"Hi kids!" Akari plopped her backpack on a small wooden chair in the wide room. "This is my bestest friend in the whole wide world! Do you want to guess her name?"

One boy raised his hand. "It's Akari!"

Chihiro smiled. "Nope, that's her name," she jabbed her thumb in Akari's direction. "My name is Chihiro, it's nice to meet you all!"

"…"

Chihiro giggled nervously and looked around the room. The big rug that covered the floor was a collection of different rugs that the owner had sewed together, and decorated it with mini train tracks and wooden trains, cute little wooden chairs and Legos and other toys.

"I like your room… it's … big and nice." She looked nervously down at the faces peering up at her.

Akari saved her from her moment of death. "So hey kids, have you picked out books you want to hear today?

All of the kids stood and ran to the bookshelves. Some already had their books and sat waiting on the floor.

"I never expected you'd be good with kids," Chihiro commented.

"Of course, they're adorable, don'cha think?"

Chihiro's eyes wandered back to the kids. "Yes, they sure are."

* * *

"So the little girl Koneka, Kikyo, and the little field mouse lived happily every after." Chihiro closed the book. "Did you like that story?" The kids nodded. "I did too! What was your favorite part?"

"I liked it when the mouse came back."

"The girl was so mean when she sent him away! I don't like that girl, Koneka."

"Aw, she was just mad because the mouse scared her other friend away."

"Kikyo?"

"Yeah."

Akari interupted. "My favorite part, was when Kikyo and the mouse got along and accepted eachother, that was nice."

All the kids nodded. Akari stood up and sighed. "Well that was the last story so everybody thank Chihiro for reading to you, okay?"

"Thanks Miss Chihiro!" The kids bowed in unison then bounced away to play.

* * *

Chihiro and Akari began to walk home again.

"Wait…" Chihiro began. "How did I end up doing your job?"

Akari giggled. She made an 'Ooh'ing sound and wiggled her fingers. "It was destiny, oOOooh."

* * *

Chihiro listened to the leaves shaking in the wind. Something bothered her about today, but she couldn't place it. She rolled over and opened the window and let the breeze wash over her. Something made her feel uneasy. She swung her feet over the side of her bed and looked around the room.

She shuffled over the her desk and switched the light on. After doodling on the desk with her finger, she told herself how silly she was being and turned the light off. When she jumped back on her bed she jumped and snatched a hard corner out from under her.

"A book?"

She jumped down and turned the light on again.

The faded book title read "Koneka, Kikyo, and the little field mouse"

"Huh, when did I get this? Did I take it home with me today?" She opened the cover and saw that two words were replaces with two names. The title now read:

"Chihiro, Seiran, and the little field mouse." Chihiro dropped the book on the desk.

Outside the leaves rustled again as a certain dragon watched over her.

* * *

Ba dum bum! Wow it seemed creepier when I was writing it… now it doesn't now that I read it. Oh well, it is 1:11 AM here. See how devoted I've become? My first day of school is tomorrow, and I'm going into High School! But I'm sure I'm not the only one, so now I will move on to the most repetitive line you'll ever see!

Please review~


	13. Once apon a time

Hi again! Thanks to my reviewers, it's good to be back! I've got a bit of a headache from first day of school craziness, but I hope that this chapter will be up to par!

Also, I've seperated scenes by putting a series of dashes in my chapters, but the site takes them out. So now, you'll see "oooooooooooo" seperating scenes.

Not much of a change, but I think it'll make things less confusing.

Happy reading!

* * *

Chapter 13-Once apon a time

"Akari! Hey Akari!" Chihiro caught up with her best friend. She held up the book that she found the night before. "Did you put this on my bed last night?"

Akari shook her head. "No, I didn't even go into your room yesterday." She flipped the book over. "Isn't this the book that you read to the kids?"

Chihiro nodded. When she looked under her bed in the morning, she found the book, but when she fliped the book open, the title had returned to normal. "Can I give it to you to return later?"

Akari nodded, Chihiro mumbled her thanks, and they went to their separate classes.

ooooooooooo

Chihiro painted a bold blue stroke up her canvas. It complimented the bright green stroke her teacher had started her out with. Her art teacher's favorite activity was a sort of add on. She would start off with a swirl or line on the canvas and the student would use it to make a picture.

Chihiro dipped her brush in darker blue and outlined the bottom of the blue stroke and added legs, and worked on the shape of her dragon.

"Wonderful Chihiro! I love your style!" The teacher picked up a thinner brush and painted a yellow line from the dragons head through the body. Chihiro groaned. "Now, now, you've created many wonder dragon paintings, don't you think that it would be nice to paint something else? Work with this, I'm sure you'll be able to make something nice."

The person Chihiro sat next to mouthed "ha ha" and continued on his painting.

She sighed and picked up her brush again. She colored in her dragon and swirled her brush wider and wider.

ooooooooooooo

"Wowww Chi," Akari stood admiring the painting hanging in the hallway. "I never expected you to draw a rat of all things."

"It's a mouse." Chihiro explained, "I got the idea from that book. There was a cute picture of the mouse on one of the pages."

Akari squinted. "It's a good thing that she makes to use thick paint, but I can still see the outline of the dragon you were painting. Too bad she crossed it out. But when you did all that," Akari wiggled her finger in a growing spiral, "it looks just like a rat with a really long whisker~ It's cute!"

"Mouse."

ooooooooooo

Chihiro decended the stairs and hopped down to the apartment parking space. She circled the building and folowed a path leading into a light smackering of trees. She stretched her arms and sighed. An autumn walk felt wonderful on a day like today.

She found a strip of water trickling deeper into the treeline and decided to follow it. It eventually made a small pool of water where water striders and other bugs skated across the surface.

Chihiro squated down and poked her finger in the chilly water. She sat on a large rock and stuck the bottom oh her feet just on the top, creating ripples on the mirror-like surface.

She sat there for a long time, thinking about her studies, but all of her thought always turned to one thing, and that was Haku. No matter what she thought about, her mind always nagged her and pulled her back to her friend.

"Haku…" She sighed and lay back on the sunny rock.

"Once apon… a time,"

Chihiro sat up. "Hmm?"

"There was a vast field."

Chihiro look around. "Is anyone there?"

"And, in that field there lived… a little field mouse…"

Chihiro quickly put her sandals back on and stood up.

"That field mouse lived in the vast field, working hard to collect food for the winter. He was happy every day, but he was always lonely."

Chihiro started panicing. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

"One day… the mouse made a friend…. with a girl, named Chihiro… Chihiro visited the field mouse, and worried about him when she wasn't with him."

"Where are you?" Chihiro shouted and clutched the front of her shirt.

"The girl got lost while she went looking for the field mouse,"

"Go away!" Chihiro started running, following the trickling water.

"She fell asleep alone in the dark, vast field. When the mouse found her, she was hungry. The little field mouse gave Chihiro the food that he had worked so hard gathering and protecting."

She ran and ran, but never seemed to go any closer to the apartments.

"Chihiro thanked the mouse, and promised to return with a friend. One day passed and the little field mouse waited. He waited for many weeks, but the little girl did not return."

Chihiro stopped running and bent down gasping for breath. How was that voice still so clear?

"The little field mouse ran and ran, trying to find the girl he had fallen in love with. Many years later, the field mouse found the girl again. Chihiro had made new friends, and she was very close to one boy, Seiran."

Chihiro spun around, looking everywhere. "Stop it! Just leave me alone!"

"When the little field mouse appeared before his old friend, Seiran was horrified and ran away from the mouse. Chihiro started to run after Seiran, but the little mouse stopped her. 'Why did you leave me?' he asked? Chihiro saw Seiran's retreating figure and yelled at the mouse. 'Don't ever come back here again, mouse!' Chihiro ran after Seiran, and left the mouse behind."

Chihiro started running again. She followed the stream and burst through a bush. She tumbled out into the open space where she sat by the small pond.

Haku sat with the book proped in one hand and his other resting on one knee. "So the little mouse fled back to his field, promising that he'd never return." He looked up and held the book out to her. "Would you like to finish?"

* * *

tar daar! I was going to finish this chapter but its on the fourth page of microsoft word, so I'd decided to turn it into two chappies.

Soooo, I'm going to try to fit a kiss in soon, to make the story move along faster, and I've got two different scenarios. So I need votes! Who wants Seiran to have the first kiss, and who wants Haku to have the first kiss? Don't worry, they'll both get their action, but I want oppinion on who wants who first. The more votes I get, the sooner and more motivated I'll be to write it. So please and thank you, please review, or send me a PM with your answer, or both if you want~


	14. The Shimmering Pond

Man this one took forever. I wrote this story while watching the movie. I love Chihiro she's so cute :) For some reason, I always think she resembles a chipmunk…

But anyways, without further ado:

* * *

Chapter 14- The shimmering pond

She tumbled out into the clearing. "H-haku…" she knelt and rubbed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, he was still there, holding the book out to her. "Haku!" She ran and tackled him, the book fell onto the soft grass.

"Hi Chihiro," he whispered into her hair. She shook, and Haku felt the hot tears soak through his shirt. "I'm sorry I couldn't stay away longer." He stroked her hair; she shook harder.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she sniffed. "Where… where have you been all this time?" She looked upwards but couldn't meet his eyes.

He chuckled. "Not far. At first," he flicked the tears off her cheeks. "I went back to the spirit world's gate, you've been there." She nodded. "If I crossed over, I would turn back into a spirit and be bound there for eternity." He looked down at her and she met his gaze briefly and looked away. "But in the end, I couldn't do it, so I came back here and kept watch over you from a ditance."

She smiled and bent to get the book behind him. He pulled her up so she was stradling his stomach.

"Sorry," she blushed and mumbled, trying to scoot back. He kept a firm grip on her hips.

"You know I missed you." His eyes bore into hers making her shiver. He scooted her closer and hooked his chin behind her shoulder. She gasped. "Did you miss me?"

"I… I," She blushed furiously and Haku sliped his chin so his mouth could rest on her neck.

"Did you?" His hot breath tickled her neck. She gave a little nod. He darted his tounge out. "How much?" He slid her onto the soft grass with him resting atop her.

"Uh… Haku, I…" She glanced sideways, still not meeting his gaze. He traced one pale finger over her face. "I did… miss you. A lot." She held his gaze now.

All of a sudden, he seemed shy. "I missed you too… I really did." He rested his head on her shoulder. "I couldn't stand not being able to see you again." He straightened his arms so he loomed over and blocked Chihiro from the sun.

"Can… can I…" He looked away.

She blushed.

"Can… is it okay if I come back to be with you… at the school?" She looked surprised and a little disapointed.

"Of course, please come back… a lot of people miss you… You'll get quite the welcoming party…" she trailed off and her smiling face dropped with a tinge of disapointment.

Suddenly he realized what his question must have sounded like to her. He lowered himself carefuly on his elbows. The moment their lips met was brief, but it was sweet, soft and gentle, just like a trickle of water. The sun danced around them and the wind blew cooly across their faces.

* * *

"Alright, class dismissed." The teacher tapped the papers on the desk.

A girl sauntered up to the desk next to Chihiro's.

"Hey Haku, my friends and I are going to a party downtown tonight, you wanna come?" She was a fairly short girl, with a huge bust and make-up heavily applied.

Haku steped to the side of the girl. "Hey Chi, did you hear that? Do you want to go?"

The girl scowled. "Chi," she mocked, "I know you really don't seem to enjoy yourself at these popular activities." She flicked her hair. "You won't be attending, will you?"

She smiled and shook her head. "No, I'll pass again, thank you though." The girl turned back to Haku and shook her head.

"Chihiro never has fun at parties, it's like she doesn't even know how to have fun." Chihiro's pencil fell off the desk. "But I bet you would be fun," she reached for his arm.

"No thank you, I'll have to take a pass as well." Haku moved away and slipped his bag over his shoulder. "Thank you for the invitation though."

Haku walked past her and picked up Chihiro's pencil. Chihiro and Haku left the classroom together.

"You didn't have to pass you know," she said, "those parties are probably fun." She waved to another classmate.

Haku smiled. "I thought it would be more fun to hang out at your place after school." She nodded. "Okay. I'll invite Akari and Seiran too okay?" Haku's face dropped, but Chihiro refused to look at him. They nodded and went off to their separate classes.

* * *

I know, totally lame ending… but please review! I really appreciate when people add my story to their favorites list, but reviews are special J So what'dja think? not too bad for my first serious kiss scene if I do say so myself. I've driven my brain boat into the sand though, I've got no idea where to go on from here… but I'll do my best! Once again, I apoligize for the misspelled words, my spell check is still down. Boo.

Thank you again~


	15. Salty Water

Chapter 15- salty water

The music blared. Chihiro wove her way through the partying crowds. She climbed slowly up the steps onto the balcony to look out on the crowd. After a few minutes, she spotted Akari dancing with a few friends.

Chihiro finally pushed her way past the dancing bodies. "Hey Chi!" Akari hopped over to her. "M'glad you came!" She pulled Chihiro arm and continued dancing.

Chihiro nodded. Haku had finally convinced her that going to the party would be fun so here she was.

"Have you seen Haku?" Chihiro asked Akari who kept on dancing. She shouted louder.

Akari paused. "Haku?" She looked around. "Nope, I haven't seen him yet." Chihiro nodded.

"I'm going to go look for Haku."

Akari laughed. "Will you stop worrying about Haku, come on Chihiro, let's dance!"

* * *

Chihiro wove her way back through the crown and leaned on the wall. She turned when she heard cheering on the far side of the room. She walked along the wall and gasped.

Haku sat at a table, surrounded by girls. One girl filled a cup clenched in his hand with liquid from a dark skinny bottle. His figure slumped and he pounded his fist on the table.

"Thenshe sent me away like a…" he emptied his cup. "I'ma dragon yuh know." The girls shrieked with laughter. "I never shouldduh metter, shhes 'orible."

Chihiro backed away quickly. She gathered her green dress and swiftly walked to the door. Outside she took a deep breath, trying to warp what she had just seen.

"Haku… was drunk." She faced a steep hill and frowned. She slipped out of her shoes. "No, he couldn't have..." She saw a blurry figure observing the moon by a tree on top of the hill. She rubbed her eyes and flicked the tears away.

Slowly she started climbing the hill. She stood some distance behind the dark figure, silently crying.

"How long are you going to stay quiet back there?" His voice was calm, and he hadn't turned around.

"Seiran?" Chihiro sniffed and stood beside him.

He shifted his weight so he leaned farther away. "The moon's pretty tonight." Chihiro sat at the base of the tree.

She laughed. "It is." Her voice cracked. Seiran looked down at her in surprise.

She tilted her head so her hair covered her face. "I'm not crying,"

Seiran knelt and lifted her chin. He sighed. "Stupid. You're a terrible liar." He stood and put his hands in his pockets. "Wait here, I'll get some water." Before she could say anything, he had gone.

Chihiro sighed and rested her head against the tree. She looked at the sliver of a moon and the stars that began to dot the sky. She dumbly wondered if she should feel guilty, being here waiting for Seiran.

_She's horrible. I never should have met her._

The words rang clearly through her head. New hot tears streamed down her cheeks.

A cool cup pressed against her cheek, making her jump.

"Ah boo, you made it salty." Seiran held the water to her face, pressing it to her mouth. "Drink," he ordered, "if you loose too much water you'll dry up and be a wrinkly old woman."

Chihiro smiled, apreciating his humor. She drank and the cool water cleared her head. "Thanks, I needed that." They sat together, watching the moon.

Chihiro look at him. "You're not going to ask?"

Seiran shifted. "About what?" He made a pathetic face and mimiced tears streaming from his eyes. Chihiro made a face and nodded.

"Do you want me to?"

Chihiro thought for a minute. "Actually, no."

Seiran stood. "Then I won't." he brushed off his pants. "It's time for me to go now, see you tomorrow." Chihiro turned and watched him retreat down the hill.

"Seiran," she whispered. "Thank you."

In her room, Chihiro sat gazing around at the walls in surprise. She hadn't realized how many of her paiting were portraits of Haku. She took one down and traced the upper corner where she had signed it. She stiffly walked over to her bed and shoved the painting under it.

She sat there with a feeling of dread, like she had just done something horribly crewel. A cool breeze swirled around the room and she shivered. She stood and shut the windows. She closed the blinds and quickly crawled into bed.

* * *

Ah boo, only a couple reviews. Oh well, Happy Birthday to Alex, you know who you are heehee.

Man, it just got freezing again. Well, I hope you guys have good luck with school and stuff!

I won't ask, because I know you will *wink wink* but just for tradition:

Please review~


	16. Ice Cream

Hey all, thanks for the reviews! Thanks to squidsacting, I'm glad you like it so much, it makes me feel all warm and tingly~ (if I wasn't cold right now, I'd totally be tingly) School has been busy busy busy with lotsa homework . But the best part is having to wake up urgh. There was a quote on the black board today, "No matter how soft and warm your bed may be, you still have to get out of it." poo, so true so true. anyways, here the next chapter!

* * *

Chapter 16- Ice Cream

In Spanish class, Miss Sotoko crossed the isles of bowed heads. As she sat in her plushy teachers' chair, the "click clack" of pencils on paper filled the room. She scanned the room slowly and almost laughed. In a far row by the windows, Chihiro and Haku sat together.

Chihiro was smashed against the window, leaning her weight away from her partner, head low and scribbling on her test. Haku sat straight with a worried look to the side and his blank paper on the shared desk.

The teacher cleared her throat to stiffle her laugh.

"Five minutes."

* * *

"Why can't you?" Chihiro whined.

Miss Sotoko sighed. "There aren't any extra seat Chihiro, please understand." She stood. "You'll just have to sit with Haku for now, when the semester changes, I'll have a desk draw okay?" Chihiro nodded glumly. She got the same answer from all of her teachers.

Chihiro bowed and left the classroom. She walked slowly home, kicking the fall leaves from the path. She felt, more than saw someone fall in step behind her. She decided to ignore him.

She turned on a street to the shopping mall. After a couple minutes of walking, the two stopped in front of an ice cream shop.

"You came for the last day sale?" The lady chuckled as she handed Chihiro her caramel swirl ice cream cone. "Isn't it a little cold for ice cream? Oh well, buisness is good! Come again next year!" Chihiro waved to the sales lady and began to eat.

Chihiro turned to go to back to her apartment and hesitated mid-step. Following behind her the whole time was Haku, silent and worried. She briskly walked past him.

"Wait, Chihiro…" Haku grabbed her hand and made her stop, dropping her ice cream. She stood stiffly without turning to face him.

"You're mad." He stated calmly.

"Genious." She mumbled and looked somberly down at her ice cream.

"About the party?" She pulled her hand out of his grip. Haku bowed his head. "I'm sorry, I should have known better." He flushed red. "I'm not… strong against the affects of alcohol so I should've declined."

Chihiro turned again and started walking. "You should have."

Haku watched her walk away, tight lipped and disheartened.

* * *

"Dear Chihiro," Akari read aloud. "I- hey!" Chihiro ripped the letter out of her hands.

"Don't read that!" She huffed, crumpling the letter in her grip.

Akari stuck out her lip. "Bummer, and that was neat handwriting too, a love letter?" Chihiro scoffed.

"Not quite." Akari climbed on the bed next to Chihiro.

"You know I'll keep bugging you until I read that letter." Chihiro rolled her eyes. Akari stared. Chihiro shifted. Akari stared. Chihiro giggled, Akari stared. Chihiro held her eyes, and Akari stared.

Chihiro sighed and held out the letter.

"Really?" Akari snatched the crumpled paper and skimmed the contents. She whistled lowly. "Wowww, Chi…" she sucked on her lip, "so Haku got drunk… uh huh… tsk," she made noises for each sentence and Chihiro rolled her eyes again.

"I'd forgive him," she said simply and re-folded the letter.

Chihiro snapped her head up. "What?"

Akari smoothed the paper. "Well," she began slowly, "just think about Haku and who he really is. He was a big brother before, a kind, sweet big brother." She smiled. "And now he's a boyfriend, a kind, sweet, worried boyfriend who just made a mistake."

"It wasn't just a mistake Akari!" Akari shook her head.

"Nope, it was a big, big, mistake. But, that just means that you have to forgive him that much more~" Akari jumped off the bed. "Now I'll let you be and contemplate what you'll do." She nodded. "But really, I'd go with the forgiving path, it'll be better than staying mad, promise."

Chihiro sighed and banged her head on the wall she sat against. After a while, she turned her head towards the open window.

"Haku," she shouted, a gentle breeze stirred. Chihiro bit her tongue. "I know you're out there, get in here."

Haku appeared crouched in the windowsill next to Chihiro's head.

"You really are a stalker aren't you?" She sighed and patted the space next to her. Haku gracefully slipped from the window and landed softly on the bed. Chihiro took a deep breath. "I'll forgive you. For the party." She leaned back on the wall. "Okay?"

He numbly nodded.

"Promise me something."

"Yes, anything-"

"No more parties." He nodded. "And no alcohol ever."

"Of course."

She nodded. "Okay then, get out."

He stiffened. "I thought you weren't mad anymore."

She smiled at him. "I'm still mad, but I've forgiven you." She looked pointedly down at the bet. "But you are in my room, on my bed, so I have the right to kick you out."

He met her eyes. "Thank you." He slipped out the window and disappeared.

"You dummy."

* * *

aaah, sorry, two days late. Man, I promised two people to have it done… oh well.

So that drama is pretty much over, anyways, I've got a feeling the story won't continue for very long… maybe 5 more chapters at the max. of course, I could be lying again and get motivated and write more… *shrug*

well, I went back and re-read the earlier chapters… and… now, I hate Seiran. pfffff oh well. :D

So please review!


	17. Falling Snow

Ahh it got cold again didn't it? cold cold cold cold~ it is so cold~

/shot

ahem, enjoy chapter 17!

* * *

Chapter 17- Falling Snow

The bell rang loudly and the classrooms erupted with cheers. Even the teachers looked happier than usual, ushering students out of their classrooms.

Seiran glomped onto Chihiro's backpack in the hallway. "Christmas break, Chi!" Chihiro smiled brightly.

"Yep, I'm so glad to get away from homework!" Seiran nodded. He grabbed her backpack loop and led her, stumbling sideways, outside.

"So do you have any plans?" They walked side by side now, kicking the few remaining autumn leaves in their path.

Chihiro nodded, "My parents are coming to visit me, but they have to go back before Christmas day," she hesitated. "They're going to move soon, so they have to finish packing."

He frowned. "And they can't stay over Christmas?" She shook her head.

"It's complicated, they have to leave before Christmas because-"

"Whats complicated?" Haku joined their walk, striding beside Chihiro. Seiran drifted away while Chihiro re-explained her vacation.

Haku smiled. "I'd bet you're excited to see them." Chihiro nodded.

"It's snowing," Seiran stopped to comment. The three tipped their heads back.

"No its not silly." Chihiro play-punched him. Seiran shook his head.

"Look!" Chihiro looked up and sure enough, one thin flake drifted from the clouds.

"Wow!" Chihiro ran forward, arms outstretched. "Aw…" She pouted as the flake landed beyond her reach.

"Look, there's another one!" Seiran shouted to her, making her run forward again.

The two boys started to walk behind her.

They chuckled when she tripped and launched herself forward to catch a snowflake.

"Darn." She pouted and stuck out her chin, looking for more.

The boys had stopped to watch her from a distance, unable to keep up without running themselves. Seiran shifted his weight towards Haku. "So do you have any plans for the break?"

"No." Haku replied frostily. He hesitated. "Do you?"

Seiran shook his head. "No, I'll be staying here." Haku noticed Seiran's eyes never left the zig-zagging Chihiro. "Oop," Seiran took a small step towards Chihiro's figure.

Haku looked back at Chihiro who was sprawled on the ground, her arms outstretched in front of her.

She wedged her legs under her stomach and stood. "I caught one!" She shouted excitedly, holding both hands out.

"Great job!" Seiran shouted back and waved. She turned to look for more.

Haku flicked his gaze from Chihiro to Seiran and back again. "She really seems to like you."

Seiran's face dropped a little. "You think?" He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Sorry," he mumbled into his scarf. "I know you like her." He looked back at Chihiro. "She likes you better though."

Haku's steely gaze bit through the air to the back of Chihiro's head, her pony tail swinging wildly through the air as she jumped and swatted at a falling bit of white. "I know." Seiran's figure shrunk a little. Haku looked back at Seiran. "I wonder who would be the first to let go," he wondered aloud, walking towards the retreating figure of Chihiro. Seiran stared at the ground and followed him, seeing the thin layer of fallen snow.

* * *

"Ugh, it's freezing in here." Seiran commented.

Akari frowned. "Chi, don't you have a heater or something?" Chihiro shook her head.

"You should, do you need to buy one?" Haku sat on the floor between Akari and Seiran. Akari stood up suddenly.

"Wait here." She ran out the door, opening her apartment. Chihiro sat across from Haku and Seiran.

Seiran sat looking at the walls in awe. Haku knelt calmly staring at Chihiro.

"Wow you painted all of these?" Seiran smiled broadly. I love the one of Akari, it captures her perfectly." He stood and inspected the largest painting. "There's something missing in this one." Chihiro twisted around to face him. "It's hilarious, but the key is missing."

Chihiro had painted the picture during a weekend with no homework, and every so often took it from the frame to add a detail or two. Akari stood painted in the middle, making a peace sign with her hands and sporting a large smile. Seiran stood on her right, hand on hip and grinning crookedly. Haku stood a little apart from them with a delicate smile on his pale face.

"Whats missing?" Chihiro asked frowning.

Seiran turned and matched the grin in the painting. "You, of course."

Akari kicked the door open, dragging in her big space heater. "Gah, a little help here guys?"

* * *

Hahaha I've got a good idea again!

Now the thing that Haku says about "I wonder who would be the first to let go," refers to a traditional Japanese… folklore I guess you could call it. Specifically, the Ooka Judgment. Ooka Echizen is famous in Japan for being a wise and just magistrate, much like King Solomon from the Bible. In a story, two women are fighting over a child, both claiming it to be theirs. Solomon says he'll split the child in two so they could each have half. One woman says yes, one says no and she'll give the kid to the other woman. The one that says no is declared the real mother because she cared enough about the kid to not want him to be hurt. blah blah blah, on and on but that's the basics of that. Anyways, the related part is that Haku is wondering aloud who would be the first (of him or Seiran) to give Chihiro up before she gets hurt.

-Correct me if I'm wrong or misinterpreting this-

That was fun, and now I have a basic story line from here to the end (I think)

Thanks for all my readers, its been fun! (although, it doesn't end yet~)

Please review!


	18. My Little Santa

Poo, sorry for the late late late update. I would say I'd try to update faster but… I probably wouldn't try very hard anyways~ Okay, I sort of forgot my so called "story line" to the end of the story, but I'll try my best!

* * *

Chapter 18- My little Santa

"Higher, higher!" Akari jumped to the side to inspect the garland. "Seiran, your side needs to be higher."

Seiran jumped and slammed the nail into the wall with one hit.

Chihiro backed into the room carrying a box of Christmas decorations.

"Looking good guys!" Chihiro smiled and set the box down.

Akari folded her arms. "Yep, and these two are a big help, right boys?" Haku and Seiran smiled. "Chi, how many more boxes are left?"

"One in my car, the two from your room," she paused. "Oh, and there's one more thing I have to buy." Akari danced to the door.

"Got it."

Chihiro pulled an angel from the box. She turned to face the garland. "Hey, I think Seiran's side is too high."

* * *

Seiran whistled, "Looking good Chi!" Haku blushed and sharply turned his head.

"Ugh, thanks I think." Chihiro stood awkwardly in the dress, pulling the top up and the bottom down trying to make it longer.

Akari slapped her hands away. "Come on, you'll pull out the fuzz!" Akari flicked Chihiro's shoulders around and led her to the mirror. "Lookie see! You look great!"

Chihiro's arms fell to her sides as she stared at her reflection. The dress was a creation of strapless, red velvet material, pompoms, and santa fuzz on the bottom and top hems. Her boots matched with white pompoms.

Seiran grinned beside the mirror. "There's just one thing missing."

Haku stepped up and stretched Chihiro's hair tie, making her hair slide out to form a graceful arc around her shoulders. Chihiro frowned.

"I was going to say a Santa hat, but that looks pretty good." Seiran's grin grew. "Now we just need a Santa!" Haku frowned and glared at him.

Akari waved her hands. "I call Santa! Haku, you can be an elf!" Seiran laughed and Haku's frown grew. Akari shook her head and pointed to Seiran. "You won't get off easy mister, you'll be Rudolph!" Seiran grinned and struck a pose.

"Only the best raindeer there ever was!" They grinned together. The salewoman frowned from behind her counter.

"Uh Akari…" Chihiro was pulling at the dress again. "I'm gonna change back now."

* * *

"Hey Chi, merry Christmas Eve's eve's eve!" Seiran burst through the door, arms full of wrapped boxes.

Chihiro jumped up to take some boxes from him. "Oh good you're the first one here!" She wore the red dress and a Santa hat Seiran had given her. Her hair was down from its normal ponytail too, Seiran noticed.

"Of course, I couldn't keep my little Santa waiting could I?" Chihiro smiled.

"I'm supposed to be Mrs. Clause silly!" They sat by the tree together waiting for Akari and Haku to arrive. "Oh!" Chihiro exclaimed and jumped up. She searched through a drawer and found matches to light the festive candles on the table, while looking at the calandar. "Eve's eve's eve… yep, I guess it is!"

Seiran looked puzzled. "What…?"

She smiled and walked to the wall. The lights turned off with a dull 'click.' After waiting for her eyes to adjust, Chihiro turned to stand before Seiran, the candles dancing a soft light over her.

Seiran flicked his bangs into his eyes and looked away. Chihiro stepped closer. "Uh, Chi…" she cocked her head.

"What?"

"What are you doing?" He blushed and bent forward so more hair fell in his face.

Chihiro looked confused. "Waiting for you to move." Seiran's head snapped up, face puzzled and tinged with red. "I want to light the tree before the others get here… kay?" She moved around Seiran who shut his eyes tightly to stop himself from looking upward where the bottom of the very short dressline met him.

Seiran blushed and moved away quickly. "Of course…"

Chihiro smiled. "I hope these work, I didn't test them before they were on the tree…" She fumbled, trying to fit the plug in the socket.

"Need some help?" Seiran asked, but not moving any closer.

"Nah, I got it." Chihiro twisted the plug upside down and fit it in smoothly. The tree shone with the "colors of Christmas," as Seiran called it.

"Merry Christmas Chi."

"Merry Christmas Seiran."

* * *

Chihiro lay in bed, giggling to herself thinking about her party. She looked at the ribons and sparkles that littered the floor. Rolling towards the window, she closed her eyes to see the picture of Seiran's guilty face looking down at the floor, blocking her from the tree. Chihiro sat, puzzling his actions until her eyes traveled over to the dress she had thrown on the table before going to bed.

She stared at it. One minute. Two minutes. Three-

"Oh crap!"

* * *

heehee sorry to anyone who didn't get that last part, I thought it would be funny :D

It didn't come out right though… oh well.

I've changed my mind about Seiran getting a kiss. Since I went back and re-read what I had wrote (since theres been a couple months gap between some of the first and the later ones) I really didn't realize that I made Seiran into a complete… idiot. Like one of those kids who you would like to push off a high bridge over shallow water. (kidding) I've been trying to change him, but I still dislike him too much. :)

-ahem-

anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please keep reading!


	19. Cake

Ahhh sorry guys. Kay, I'll stop promising to update faster, but I'll promise to update… eventually. No, I'm not loaded with homework, no I don't fill up my schedule, I'm just lazy. But the story is wrapping up, so then I can stretch and maybe dig myself into another hole and start another story haha…

Kay, here it is!

* * *

Chapter 19- Cake

Chihiro wove through the hall, pushing against the crowd that was rushing outside to get to the café for lunch. She snuck up behind Seiran, who was in the process of opening his locker, and slammed into the locker beside him, making him jump.

"Feeling jumpy today Seiran?" Chihiro tried to pull off a smirk but failed, being a whole head shorter than Seiran.

Seiran gave a tight smile and a questioning look. "What's up with you today?"

Chihiro paused and her smile faltered. "Um…" she stared blankly at him. "You don't remember?"

"No…?" He answered slowly and opened his locker, blocking Chihiro from his view.

"Something's bothering you."

He swung the locker door in to look at her.

Chihiro bobbed her head once and pointed at his face. "You're not cheerful at all. Plus, you would normally not be caught off guard to me acting like that," She removed her hand from his face. "So something must be wrong."

Seiran's catlike grin crept up his face. "Come on Chi, it's the first day back from vacation, I'm tired."

Chihiro grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the school and to the café.

"Where are we going?"

"To the North Pole," Chihiro rolled her eyes and pulled the doors of the café open. "You're buying me cake."

"What's the occasion," he asked warily.

Chihiro looked back at him to study his face. "Because you lied to me."

* * *

"Whoa no way…" Chihiro sipped her hot chocolate thoughtfully. Seiran sat stiffly facing her. She lifted her straw to lick the foam from it. "Well, if you look at it this way, it really isn't that far from here." She eyed the straw and dunked it back into her mug.

"Plus, there isn't any guarantee that you will really have to move yet, right?" She looked thoughtfully up at him.

"There's a good chance," he replied curtly.

"Can't you convince your parents to delay the move until after you graduate here? It's only 2 more years."

"I've tried."

"Well, they can't force you to move, right?"

Seiran shifted and sighed. "You see, I'm not moving in with my parents, or any family," he hesitated. "Yeah. I'm moving in with a friend of the family. Their grandfather saved my grandmother a lot of trouble after… loaning her money. We owe them." Seiran shook his bangs loose and bowed his head.

Chihiro chewed on her straw. "They seem like nice enough people, to loan money to you."

Seiran scoffed. "Yeah, well now they want something back." He looked quickly at her. "Sorry."

They sat in silence, both staring at some different, ever-changing spot on the table or floor.

"It's the town where Haku and I first met."

"O-oh really?" Seiran flicked his hand up to cover his eyes and turned his head sharply.

Chihiro sat up straighter. "Wait, were you crying?"

"No."

Chihiro glared at him out of the corner of her eye. "We're still in the café you know, you don't want to buy me another piece of cake do you?"

Seiran chuckled and sniffed. "No, besides you can't eat more cake can you?"

Chihiro leaned back and crossed her arms with a smirk. "Just dare me."

* * *

"Okay Seiran, remember to check out!"

"Yes ma'am, thank you." Seiran slid the doors open and slowly closed them.

Chihiro and Akari glanced at each other over their easels and continued painting.

"This is the third time, Chi." Akari commented, Chihiro nodded.

One of the boys in the back of the class hooted. "Yo, teach, where's Seiran off to?"

The teacher cleared her throat. "Family matters. Now, make sure that you don't out line everything, especially when you're painting a…"

Chihiro paused, the paintbrush almost slipping out of it's graceful path.

"Family matters…" she mumbled under her breath, staring hard at her painting.

"Hey Chi," Akari waved her paintbrush in the air. "You want to go get cake at the café after school?"

* * *

Baw baw baw… I've got an awesome idea now! And the next chapter will be the closing, and the next, next will be the last. I need opinions for two equally good endings.

1. Do you like Seiran enough to give him a happy ending? or 2. Are you willing to give Haku the happy ending even if it breaks up the gang?

One or two, please include it in your review, or in a PM :D Thank you much!


	20. Cruel Fate

Oh man, it's late, and on a school night too... bad me, bad. Well, I tiredly present to you, chapter 20! (I hope it isn't lacking in quality, I'll try not to write at night)

* * *

Chapter 20- Cruel fate

"Yo, Haku!" Seiran gave a carefree grin and walked along with him on their way from school.

"Hi, Seiran!" Akari and Chihiro smiled and stopped to wait for Seiran.

Seiran nodded at them. "Hey, Haku, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure," Haku nodded and crossed his arms. They stood their awkwardly until Akari coughed.

"Uh, we'll go on ahead, see you guys tomorrow!" Akari skipped ahead and Chihiro hastily waved and joined her.

"So what'd you want?" Haku glared at Seiran, annoyed that he had so part with Chihiro so quickly.

Seiran's smile had faded once Chihiro and Akari had left. "I have a favor I'd like to-"

"Just say it already."

* * *

"Hey, Chi!"

Chihiro looked down from her apartment's balcony. "Oh, hi Seiran!"

Seiran grinned. "Are you busy? How 'bout a date?" Chihiro froze, a soft wind played with her hair.

"O-okay sure. I'll be down in a minute!"

Seiran nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets. He stared hard at the ground, thinking worriedly about his conversation with Haku earlier that day.

"I wonder if I can trust him…"

"Trust who?"

Seiran jumped and looked up at Chihiro. "Oh, Chihiro, I didn't see you there," he laughed nervously smiled. "You look nice."

Chihiro blushed. "Thank you."

Seiran took her hand and started walking down a path towards school.

"Where are we going?" Chihiro asked, enjoying the crisp spring air and the scattered calls of songbirds.

"Nowhere in particular." Seiran's dark eyes glanced at her from under his bangs, studying her obliviousness to the situation.

She took a deep breath and sped up her pace, dragging Seiran after her. "Ah, I love the springtime."

Seiran chuckled and widened his stride. "I prefer Autumn myself."

They walked, swinging hands in hands, looking more like two children off to a parade, than a couple on a date. A couple times Seiran had tried to weigh down the swinging motion of their arms, but Chihiro would just swing harder. They came to a stone bridge, where Chihiro freed her hand to sit over the side of the bridge.

"Hey Chi…" Seiran reached forward. "Don't you think that's a little dangerous?"

"Nah," she dangled her feet, kicking the air above the water. Seiran rested his elbows on the stone next to her and looked down at the small fish darting in the slow river.

"Hey Chi?"

"Yeah?" Chihiro let her head flop to the side, her hair falling into Seiran's face.

He chuckled and blew her hair away. "Why did you agree to come on this date?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, I guess I just thought that it wouldn't really… I don't know, just because."

"So… you wouldn't mind doing this again?"

"Nope, this was fun!" She clapped her hands together. "And next time, we should get Akari and Haku to come with us!"

Seiran smiled and looked back down at the water as silence fell on the two. Seiran shook his head and laughed, then sighed.

"So Haku…" Seiran studied his hands. "Haku isn't like, your boyfriend or anything is he?"

"What?" Chihiro stared wide-eyed at him, puzzling his question. "Well… I guess not, no."

Seiran shut his eyes for a minute, then suddenly stood and grabbed Chihiro's hands.

"Than would you, please," Seiran bowed, "would you please go out with me? Chihiro?" He looked up hopefully, and found Chihiro's stunned face, round-eyed and blushing.

She slowly pulled her hands out from his and looked downwards at the ground.

"I'm sorry, Seiran… but-"

"Please," he interrupted. "I know this is sudden, I didn't plan this to be this way either, but… I really need to know by this weekend. Please think it over?"

She nodded slowly and slipped down from the bridge side. She stood in front of him and held out her hand. He took it silently and they began walking back to her apartment.

* * *

Friday came and went, and Chihiro wondered every night about Seiran's proposal, she had planned to give Seiran an answer on Friday, but ended up avoiding him the whole day.

"Good morning class! I know, it's Monday, you're tired but please take you're seats quickly. We have an announcement."

Chihiro swung into her seat next to Haku.

"What's happening?" Haku didn't answer.

"I don't know how many of you already know this, but Seiran has asked my permission to share with the class about something personal regarding himself."

Seiran stood from his desk and slowly walked to the front of the classroom by the teacher.

The teacher motioned for him to talk.

"Most of you know that I am moving away in the middle of the term here, and I'm leaving the city of Kohaku. Some of you know why, but few of you really know why," he looked at Haku.

Seiran took a deep breath and put on a tight smile. "The truth is, I have accepted an arranged marriage set up by my parents and the grandparents of another family." Neither Haku or Seiran could look at Chihiro, and Chihiro could help but stare at Seiran.

"Our final meeting was over this weekend, and our engagement is finalized." Seiran stared hard at the ceiling, forcing his voice to stay level. "My lady has requested to spend my last day at Kohaku high with me…" he swallowed hard. "I'd like you to all greet her now."

* * *

:D Yes, I am evil, flaming isn't appreciated, but is understood and accepted... heh. Well, I got a review that I totally agree with, and that is that the last chapter jumped all over the place. I tried to fit a ton in that last chapter, and it was icky. So I actually changed this chapter into two chapters, and this is the first part. So just forget that I said that there was a chapter limit, just know its coming to a close.

And without further ado, I'm off to bed. Good night everyone! Happy dreams and look, a purple squirrel!


	21. The Bridge

Chapter 21- The Bridge

"Our final meeting was over this weekend, and our engagement is finalized." Seiran stared hard at the ceiling, forcing his voice to stay level. "My lady has requested to spend my last day at Kohaku high with me…" he swallowed hard. "I'd like you to all greet her now."

He stiffly walked to the classroom door and slowly slid it open. A girl that could only be described as elegant stepped to the front of the classroom and bowed shallowly.

"My name," her voice rang clear, "is Yuuki Karin, and as you already know, I am engaged to Seiran Shi." She almost to smile and glance at the class, but held back when she met the metallic sound of descending silence. "I hope you'll make me feel welcome."

The classroom fell silent, the enormity of the news heavy on their minds. The stiff air was cut by a clap, and then another, lead by Haku.

Haku sat, eyes closed and composed, showing acceptance to Seiran's fiancé. The tension broke, and Seiran, feeling like slime, stood in front of his cheering and hooting classmates with a tight smile

There was one person who was still frozen by the news. Yuuki held up her hand and the cheering hesitantly stopped. She smiled. "Thank you." Her eyes darted to Chihiro and fell into a blank stare at the back of the room. "It's good to know that Seiran was surrounded with good people."

* * *

"Hey cheerful," Akari bonked Chihiro on the head with her lunch tray. She sat across the cafeteria table from her pouting friend.

Chihiro ignored Akari and continued to stare, glazy-eyed, at Seiran's back, which was leaning tentatively away from a girl by the name of Yuuki. There were so many question she wanted to ask him, but couldn't because Yuuki stayed glued to him at a polite distance.

Chihiro shifted so that Akari blocked the view of the couple.

"Do you want to do something after school? We could go to the café or shop." Akari fiddled with her juice straw, waiting expectantly for an answer.

Chihiro thought about declining the offer, but decided she could use a break from Seiran-drama. "I might need that," she nodded, "how about the mall? We can pick some food up while we're there."

Akari nodded. "The bridge at four?"

"The bridge at four."

* * *

"Chihiro." Seiran looked relieved, but tense as he stood in front of his desk partner.

Chihiro nodded slightly and pulled her books onto the desk.

"Uh, excuse me."

She dug for a pencil and looked up at a girl that she disliked without knowing her.

"Yes?" Chihiro straightened and twisted to face the girl.

"Can you tell me where there are extra chairs?"

Chihiro turned away from her. "There aren't any."

Seiran sat next to Chihiro like he was lowering himself into a pit of smashed caterpillars.

The girl spoke again. The teacher called the class to attention.

"I'm Yuuki-"

"I know."

* * *

Chihiro felt guilty through biology class. Yuuki sat one table in front of Chihiro and Seiran, a desk that was unassigned to any team.

Chihiro heard Seiran write something and looked down at her notebook.

_Meet me at the bridge to talk?_

Chihiro stared hard at her paper, frustration growing in the form of a smile.

_No._

She looked at the teacher to show that she was listening. She reluctantly looked down with curiosity at the new message on her paper.

_Are you mad?_

_Why should I be?_

Seiran frowned and tried to connect with her eyes. He motioned to the seat in front of him.

_She's nice enough. _Chihiro turned so that her hair fell in her face.

_I'm sorry._

Chihiro ignored this new addition.

_I had to try._

She grabbed her pencil.

_Try what?_

He bent low and scribbled on his own paper. After a short while he slid the paper over so she could read.

_It was my final option, _their _ultimatum. __If I was found to be… unfaithful to "my lady," _He wrote with dark, angry quote marks, _then I had something I could use to refuse the marriage. _

Chihiro shook her head.

_So basically you tried to use me to get our of this marriage. Thanks._

She put her pencil down noisily, ignoring the look from her teacher, and didn't look at Seiran or her paper until the bell rang.

_Yuuki has to leave at 2:30. I'll be at the bridge at 3, so please come talk with me. I want to say goodbye._

* * *

My gosh am I a lazy butt or what? Sorry about the lack of updates yet again… I'm bummed that I couldn't have any comic relief in this chapter, so I'll… no, I'd better not promise anything.

Anyways, just in case this didn't come across right, by "unfaithful" Seiran means that since they'd been planning the marriage for a while, if he brought up that he had a girlfriend during the time of the marriage planning, he'd be "unfaithful" in the eyes of the strict Karin family.

Not that he was suggesting anything icky. Just clearing that up. :D

Oh I was so sure that Yuuki was going to be this uptight, mean person. But, after much afterthought and a reader's review, I decided to be nice.

Happy Halloween everyone!


	22. Shattered Water

Chapter 22- Shattered Water

"Chihiro!"

She turned around, resting her hand on the stone of the bridge. Seiran was bent low, breathing hard and silent.

"I'm glad you came," he smiled, "I didn't think you would."

She nodded. "I'm meeting Akari here in an hour, I just came early."

Seiran's smile almost faltered, but he quickly pasted it back on. "Then we don't have much time to talk."

Chihiro turned to rest her elbows on the bridge.

Seiran pushed his hand through his hair. "Chi, I'm really sorry." He turned to lean back on the bridge. "I do like you, I really do."

Chihiro snapped her head around. "You're a pig," she shook her head. "No, you're worse than a pig." She stood straight to face him. "You've been planning to get married for months now, you knew you'd have to, but you…" she trailed off.

Seiran began to reach for her, but pulled his hand away. Chihiro shook.

"You asked me out! The day before you confirmed your marriage to that girl!" Chihiro's eyes blazed at him, burning away any need for tears. "And you have the decency to face me like nothing has ever happened?"

A scorching silence fell around them, flames licking at the water.

* * *

"See you tomorrow!" Akari waved as she yawned and transferred into her own neighboring apartment.

Chihiro gave a small wave from her bed to the closed door. She rested the side of her head against the headboard and pulled her knees to her chest.

Her mind wandered through the shifting memories of the day. Chihiro found the memory of the bridge, and Seiran's face appeared before her. She swung her feet down and stood suddenly, and quickly walked across her small apartment to her minute refrigerator and yanked the door open, kneeling in the cold, bright mist that rolled out.

Chihiro stared blankly through the cold contents, moving her eyes sluggishly across each shelf. She closed the door restlessly, willing herself to keep her mind away from Seiran.

Chihiro walked on stiff legs to her easel and dragged her stool to it. After several attempts to create an outline on the canvas, she gave up and stood in the center of the room.

She laughed to herself. "This is pathetic." She spun in circles, changed her clothes, and eventually slid under the comforter of her bed.

Unwillingly, her mind slid to Seiran's hopeless face.

"He's so dumb." She shook her head. "I hate him." She let the sting of the words settle in her mouth, enjoying the metallic feeling and forbidden taste of the words.

She smiled, and then giggled, and started to shake with silent laughter, tears rolling slowly from her eyes.

It was crazy, really.

Chihiro's bubbling laughter turned to a short sob that was cut off, and the room was silent once again.

She sighed and faced the window. She wouldn't see Seiran again, and life would return to normal, how it should be.

* * *

Graduation for Chihiro, Akari, and Haku passed and Chihiro and Akari were separated over the years. Haku and Chihiro stayed together, and their relationship blossomed.

Chihiro got a job working at a daycare, and eventually became an elementary school teacher.

Haku also became a teacher who taught foreign languages.

Akari would go on to be an editor to a popular publishing company, and Seiran was positioned as the head of the Karin family, as supervisor of the Karin business branch.

Chihiro would on occasion revisit the high school's cake shop, or walk through the school's courtyard.

On this particular evening, Chihiro wandered down a path that was closed off feeling a sense of familiarity but not quite remembering where it led.

The road diverged before a patch of trees, Chihiro followed the path that led towards a soft trickling sound.

She followed the road for a while, remembering little by little. The road led to somewhere important, somewhere that held both sad and happy memories. The sound of water was growing louder. Chihiro ducked under the last branch that separated her from the source.

The bridge.

Worn and rusted, the stone bridge stood alone, abandoned for a new, paved route.

Chihiro slowly and gingerly walked to the middle of the bridge, the highest part of the small arc. The path of the river was diminished into a small, narrow trickle of a water snake.

She stayed there for quite a while, melancholy tugging at her hair and regret pulling on her heart.

"One day," she thought silently. "One day, we'll get back together, at this bridge." Needless to say images of Akari, Seiran, Haku, and herself danced in her mind as the water slowly trickled with the wind.

* * *

So sorry to all of my readers, one for ending it so abruptly, and two for the long wait. I really, really didn't want to update, I'd rather watch anime or eat candy or such, but I know a few reviewers that would be less than happy with an unfinished story.

So thank you for all of my reviewers! And also thank you to all of my readers, too, who didn't review, and a special thanks to those who did both! (although I'm not sure that you could do one without the other… regardless)

Your reviews kept me going, while they also kept me on my toes. So one final time:

Thank you!


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